8045 Cougar?

[burntmypiston]

Whatever happened to these? Were they junk or just poor sellers? Anybody have one and do you like it?

[theberettaman]

The only thing wrong with the 8045 was Beretta's lousey marketing.The whole Cougar line was poorly marketed and as of last year dropped from the Beretta line.Rumor has it that the cougar equipment is packed and ready for shipment to Turkey where it will reappear under the Stoger brand.(a divsion of beretta holding company)I got an 8045 limited addition CatPac and love it.It's one sweet,soft shooting 45.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-8/807509/Cnv0108.jpg
Like most of Beretta's guns it's large and heavy but I'm big and have large hands so it's not a "thang" for me.

[Sturmgewehr44]

I LOVE MY 8045! I have about 8 magazines for it, but currently only keep two loaded. I am limited to what I can carry for off duty purposes and I pack my 8045 often. It's big, but the 92FS is bigger. I just like the .45ACP.

The 8045 shoots very smooth and absorbs recoil very well. The only complaint I have with the gun is that since the magazine only holds 8 rounds, they should have made it a "single stack" magazine in order to make the grip slimmer. Instead, the Couger was made with a "staggered" magazine which ultimately makes the grips thicker.

That is the biggest disadvantage to the gun in my opinion. It adds bulk to it unesessarily.

[GroovedG19]

Very nice pistol, theberettaman.:)

[theberettaman]

Thanx!:rollsmiley:

[sc2f100]

I have a 8045f mini and it's become one of my favorite guns. I think it has evolved into the px4, but I like the feel of metal. It has to be the most under rated Beretta of all time, I luv mine!

[patw]

I own and carry a mini-cougar and must say it is the best and most accurate gun I have owned. It fit's my hand perfectly and recoil is minimal with the type of barrel mechanism it has. I am looking forward to the PX4 compact coming out later this year or early the next.They are kind of similar with the advent of the polymer frame. You can't go wrong with the 8000 series,it is solid and well crafted.

[Yamadad]

The whole Cougar line has been superceded by the Storms.

Supposedly Beretta is preparing the Storm in .45 for the upcoming military replacement trials. But, all of the companies are keeping totally mum on what they're doing, so we have to wait for now.

[smicha6551]

Stoeger is producing the 8000 series again, but only (for now) in 9mm and .40. No .45's or Mini's right now. The price has been drastically reduced. Beretta didn't really bother putting any marketing effort into them, mag capacity isn't anything special, but they're nice guns. Now they're pushing the CX4 series, but for plastic I shoot Glock.

[spober]

a big fat gripped 45 that only holds 8 rounds.when glock offers 13 and SA 14 rounds of 45 acp?same problem the ruger p90 has imho.if they were at least 10 rounds 12 idealy.

[VonFatman]

I really like mine. It was my first .45 ACP gun. I like the fat grip...this gun fits me like a glove...that's why I bought it.

Like others have mentioned, I wish it had more capacity, but I bought it knowing what the capacity was.

My biggest "problem" with the gun was it's lousy factory trigger. (at least my gun had an ugly trigger). I sent it off to Mr. E. Langdon for a level one trigger job. MAN it's nice now...still has that gosh awful LONG Beretta pull, but at least now it drops cleanly.

I guess my second "problem" with the gun is the sights. I am not crazy about them and there is nothing to be done. I will live with them, but I don't like them very much...what I'd give to have a set of Heinie Slant-8 night sights on this gun!!

I have had zero FTFs and find the gun to be extremely accurate.

I've seen the Stoger "replacement"...just a couple weeks ago at a local dealer...not as well finished....but not as much money either.

http://www.fototime.com/%7B97D19F42-921E-40E8-858A-6D42DF804C96%7D/picture.JPG

Bob

[GroovedG19]

Sharp looking pistol you have there,
VonFatman.

[VonFatman]

Thanks GroovedG19. It's pretty standard on the outside. But it's a sweet shoot'n gun.

Bob

[Sturmgewehr44]

Does anyony here have the 8045 with the extended barrel? The factory extension looks just like a 92F series, where it only sticks out beyond the slide about 3/8" of an inch. I think it's called the "LAPD" version and was sold at the LAPD gun store (LAPRAC). It was specially made for LAPD upon their request because LAPD has a barrel length policy.

The stock factory "flush" barrel was just a tad too short for LAPD officers to carry, so Beretta made an extended barrel to market for the LAPD cops. Actually, anybody could have gone in there to buy the gun. I got one.

I've never chrono'd the gun to see if it is long enough to offer any faster FPS on the bullet. My friend has one with the shorter (standard) barrel and the two of us have been meaning to compare the two. We just never got around to doing it yet.

It actually looks a bit bizare with the extended barrel.

[Chico Bill]

Sturmgewehr44,

I've seen those and really wanted one but ended up with a regular 8045 and an 8045 Mini.

LAPD was also selling the barrels seperately for a time, but they don't have any now.

[thalo]

I absolutely love the 8045 Cougar. I'm going on a crusade to buy them (and other Cougars) up.

I never had a problem with the trigger pull. I kinda like it. And you don't really need a safety with that kind of DA trigger pull.

Brother vonFatman, you've laid eyes on the Stoeger? I'm curious and furious about that whole move of the design to Stoeger and making the Cougar an economy-grade gun. What problems did you notice with the fit and finish?

I heard they were going to be clones, but I can't imagine it. Not for under $400. Some corner had to be cut somewhere. You've seen both pre-discontinuance Cougars, and the Stoeger's, I'd love to hear your impressions in more detail.

[SomeGuyInAHat]

I handled a Stoeger Cougar 8000 at a store last weekend and came very, very close to buying it. I did not shoot it, but I did field strip and reassemble the weapon. The fit and finish was perfect. The only way I could tell it wasn't an original Cougar was the logo on the grips. I may go back for it yet.